I was wanting another painting for my beach series and thought about this one based on the area around Kaikoura on south island. I wanted to play around with the light catching the tops of the hills. It’s a start, but I think I need another go. I did a version of this before and put some people in, so that might be an addition for the next try.
Other landscapes and seascape are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Painting’s taken a backseat to opening parcels, eating and drinking but here’s some of my latest life paintings done during the run-up to Christmas. The first one is an acrylic, the second a pastel and finally another acrylic, each done in around 90 minutes during some of the life sessions I attend.
Other life paintings for sale can be found on my website grahammcquadefineart.com
Well, firstly, seasons greetings to all my reader. I hope 2017 turns out less fretful and more hopeful than it looks like it’s going to be around here at present.Still, it was hope which lingered after Pandora opened her box of tricks.
This image is for a company which uses my images. They asked me for something to illustrate “fresh cotton” scent, whatever that is. They mentioned cottages, cotton clothes on the line and greenery, so I took the image of an old painting of mine which I had sold, found a cottage and added some sheets. I hope they like it. I think it really meets the brief, but then you never know.
Other landscapes can be found on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
I did a painting of Bryant Park in Manhattan in July 2014 which eventually sold but subsequently still got a lot of hits on my blog and website. So I decided to do another. In the bustle and noise of downtown New York, I loved the light coming in through the leaves on the autumn trees and the pigeons meticulously patrolling the ground for crumbs.
Other townscape paintings are available on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Only a few weeks ago alongside the fields behind Southport, north of Liverpool. Originally I had dark shadows in the foreground but I felt that they didn’t work, so out came the scrubbing brush and by texturing the field I managed to lose the previous marks. I wanted to save the painting as I loved the ranks of trees in the morning mist. The painting then needed something else as a focus so I found some images of crows and dropped them in.
Other landscape paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
The season of Christmas cards so I paint the relatives a card for the mantlepiece. I did one of the Old Town of Hastings, above and one of Durham below
Other paintings for sale are on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
Back to my seaside series, though this was from an image I took on Lake Garda years ago. I also did a watercolour of this a long while ago, but thought that it might be worth trying again in a loose style with acrylics. I am quite pleased with the result as the counterchange of light and shade give it a vitality and with the haze you don’t get bogged down with detail.
Other seaside paintings are available for sale on my website grahammcquadefineart.com
If you’re thinking that you may have seen this before, you’re correct I have posted it once already. The reason why I am doing it again is that I entered this painting, along with a couple of others, into a national painting magazine competition and this has been shortlisted. Artists and Illustrators (the magazine) even published the image in their January edition along with a few of the other shortlisted paintings.
It’s the first competition I’ve entered as I have qualms with the validity of such exercises, but if it helps in sales and exposure then I can be persuaded.
It will be part of an exhibition at the Mall Galleries in London at the back end of January, along with the other shortlisted entries and where a winner? will be announced.
There is also an online, readers’ choice award where you can vote for my entry, or one of the others if you choose, by going to: www.artistsandillustrators.co.uk/shortlist2017
Other unshortlisted paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
A second Liverpool scene. I love the varied architecture as you look up from the dinginess of Hanover Street. Pity about all the student accommodation that now dwarfs the old buildings, but that seems to be the main source of income for the city – well that and the consumption of alcohol. They have knocked a lot of the old buildings down to build a big shopping precinct so scenes like this are becoming scarcer.
Other Liverpool paintings are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
After the last beach painting I realise I may have run out of steam on the subject, so I decided to take a break and have a go at a couple of Liverpool paintings which I wanted to do after a recent visit.
Coming out of John Lewis’ in Liverpool I spotted the light coming up the pavement, mingling with the forms of the figures and so I took a few photos. I ran a lot of burnt sienna over this one and was a bit unsure about it, but on completion my satisfaction rose. We’ll see how the next one goes.
Other paintings of Liverpool are available for sale on my website: grahammcquadefineart.com
graham mcquade 